Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Toronto Faces School Bus Driver Shortage; Boards Scramble To Get Kids To School

The Canadian Press, 08 Sep, 2016 01:04 PM
    TORONTO — More than 1,000 children in Toronto are either getting to school late or not going at all due to an "unanticipated" bus driver shortage.
     
    Two Toronto school boards said they are scrambling to get as many children to school with drivers doubling and tripling up on routes, calling in extra drivers and buses and taxis — even some principals are using their cars to help out.
     
    "It's unacceptable," said Toronto District School Board spokesman Ryan Bird.
     
    "We should have been seeing our students transported to and from school as usual this week."
     
    He said some students — primarily elementary school children — are waiting more than an hour for a bus while some never show up.
     
    The TDSB and the Toronto Catholic District School Board — both use buses from a consortium of companies — said there are about 60 routes that currently don't have drivers.
     
    Both boards said the problems stem from a driver shortage from three companies: Attridge Transportation, Wheelchair Accessible Transit and Sharp Bus Lines.
     
     
    Bird said as recently as two weeks ago, the public board heard from its transportation carriers that everything was fine for the school year.
     
    "Last week we started to hear about potential number problems, but no one anticipated this to be an issue, otherwise we would have told everyone," Bird said.
     
    He said the board will recoup costs from the companies that aren't meeting their service demands.
     
    The Catholic school board's spokesman John Yan said several principals are out in the cars picking up and dropping children off.
     
    "The principals feel responsible for the safety of these children," Yan said.
     
    "It's all hands on deck right now."
     
    Both boards are hopeful to have the problems fixed by next week, but warn some problems may persist a few more weeks.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Ottawa Watching Leave For Domestic Violence Victims In Manitoba, Ontario

    OTTAWA — Mary Daoust has seen it all too often: women who stay in a dangerous relationship for fear of being unable to pay the bills or of getting fired amid the ensuing personal tumult.

    Ottawa Watching Leave For Domestic Violence Victims In Manitoba, Ontario

    Health Unit Urging Clients Of Unlicensed London, Ont., Tattoo Shop To Get Tested

    Health Unit Urging Clients Of Unlicensed London, Ont., Tattoo Shop To Get Tested
    Health officials in London, Ont., are warning patrons of a home-based tattoo shop to get tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

    Health Unit Urging Clients Of Unlicensed London, Ont., Tattoo Shop To Get Tested

    Alberta Opposition Leader Brian Jean Says He Is Sorry For 'Beat Notley' Remark

    Alberta Opposition Leader Brian Jean Says He Is Sorry For 'Beat Notley' Remark
    Jean was at a town hall gathering Tuesday night in Fort McMurray, where the Wildrose has been holding a caucus retreat this week.

    Alberta Opposition Leader Brian Jean Says He Is Sorry For 'Beat Notley' Remark

    Bylaw Forces Business To Build $10k 'Sidewalk To Nowhere' In Smithers, B.C.

    Bylaw Forces Business To Build $10k 'Sidewalk To Nowhere' In Smithers, B.C.
    SMITHERS, B.C. — On a lonely stretch of concrete in Smithers, B.C., a black-and-white sign cautions passersby: "The end is 

    Bylaw Forces Business To Build $10k 'Sidewalk To Nowhere' In Smithers, B.C.

    Coroner Names Man Killed In British Columbia After Being Hit By Passenger Train

      Coroner Larry Marzinzik says Jonathan Christopher Harris died early Saturday morning.

    Coroner Names Man Killed In British Columbia After Being Hit By Passenger Train

    Vancouver Has Record Decline In Housing Affordability In First Half Of 2016

    Vancouver Has Record Decline In Housing Affordability In First Half Of 2016
    Royal Bank says the first half of this year marked the biggest six-month drop in housing affordability in the Vancouver area since at least the early 1990s.

    Vancouver Has Record Decline In Housing Affordability In First Half Of 2016